Bulls Rumors: Billy Donovan's Job Believed to Be 'Safe' amid Kentucky HC Buzz
April 9, 2024
As the Chicago Bulls prepare for the play-in tournament for the second straight season, head coach Billy Donovan's job doesn't appear to be in danger.
Per The Athletic's Darnell Mayberry, Donovan is considered "safe" after signing an extension before the start of the 2022-23 season.
Donovan's status has become a focus for the Bulls after ESPN's Pete Thamel reported on SportsCenter that the 58-year-old "looms over all" when discussing potential candidates to replace John Calipari at the University of Kentucky.
Pete Thamel @PeteThamelHere our <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SportsCenter</a> hit from earlier with <a href="https://twitter.com/HannahStormESPN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HannahStormESPN</a> on John Calipari's upcoming move to Arkansas and who the Wildcats will hire to replace him. <a href="https://t.co/UGtG4gN2SR">pic.twitter.com/UGtG4gN2SR</a>
Matt Jones of Ky Sports Radio reported Kentucky will contact Donovan, Connecticut's Danny Hurley and Baylor's Scott Drew with the intent of making all three decline the job before strongly considering other candidates.
Matt Jones @KySportsRadioKentucky will contact Danny Hurley, Billy Donovan and Scott Drew. My guess is they will make all three of them say no<br><br>Maybe they all do but they will try with all before moving to another group <br><br>That group is much more wide open and could include a ton of people
Basketball insider Jeff Goodman noted he would be "surprised" if Donovan has any desire to return to college unless he has no other options in the NBA.
Goodman added that past overtures from Kentucky have been turned down multiple times by Donovan.
One candidate crossed off Kentucky's list is Nate Oats, who issued a statement on Monday announcing he was staying at Alabama.
Hurley would seem extremely unlikely for the Wildcats after leading Connecticut to its second straight national title with a 75-60 win over Purdue on Monday.
Speaking to reporters after that game, Hurley joked he can't move anywhere that would take his wife further away from her home state of New Jersey.
"Oh my God, Kentucky or anywhere that's going to take her further from New Jersey," he said. "I mean, we just went to Rhode Island, which I had to drag her to, and then to Connecticut. I got her closer. And now further? I can't afford a divorce right now, too. I just started making money."
Hurley also went on to say he's already "thinking about" a "dynasty in modern times" with the Huskies and the possibility of winning a third straight title next season.
The Athletic reported on Monday that Drew is considered the top choice for Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart.
The Wildcats job will likely open up on Tuesday when John Calipari is expected to finalize an agreement with the University of Arkansas.
Calipari's decision to leave came as a stunner because there was no indication before Sunday that he was going anywhere. He signed a 10-year, $86 million extension with Kentucky in June 2019.
Kentucky hasn't advanced past the first weekend of the NCAA tournament since the 2018-19 season when it reached the Elite Eight. It has lost in the first round twice in the past three seasons, including an 80-76 defeat against No. 14 seed Oakland on March 21.
Donovan began his coaching career at Kentucky as an assistant on Rick Pitino's staff for five seasons from 1989 to '94. His first head coaching job was at Marshall before he was hired at the University of Florida in March 1996.
The Gators went 467-186 with four Final Four appearances and two national titles in 19 seasons under Donovan. He was going to be hired by the Orlando Magic as their head coach in 2007 but decided to back out of the deal to remain at Florida.
Donovan eventually moved to the NBA in April 2015 when he was hired as head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder. He left the team after five seasons when the two sides failed to agree to terms on a new contract.
The Bulls hired Donovan in September 2020. He has a 154-160 record with one playoff appearance over four seasons in Chicago.